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1950 Map of Scranton

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Scranton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

The Scranton and Wilkes-Barre industrial corridor dominates the western edge of this mid-century survey, showing the dense concentration of settlements like Nanticoke, Pittston, and Carbondale along the Lackawanna River. This region, documented just before the major shifts in the coal and rail industries, is a complex network of rail lines including the Erie RR, DL&W RR, and LV RR. To the east, the landscape transitions into the high elevations of the Pocono Mountains and Catskill Mountains, where significant water infrastructure projects such as the Rondout Reservoir and Ashokan Reservoir appear alongside the winding Delaware River.

The eastern portion of the map highlights the Hudson River valley, anchored by Newburgh and the West Point Military Reservation. Significant state park development is evident with Harriman State Park and Palisades Interstate Park preserving the river's highlands. This map captures the region at a moment of transition, balancing the heavy industry of the Lackawanna Valley with the expanding recreational and reservoir systems serving the New York metropolitan area.